Folding gate



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC MERITT, on NORTH wnsir BRIDGEWATER,MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING GATE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent No. 6,957, dated December 18, 1849.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ISAAC MERITT, of North lVest Bridgewater, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gates, called the Meritt Folding Gate; and I do hereby declare that the following is a. full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, making part of this specification.

In the ordinary hinged swinging gate the post to which the hinges are fastened is liable to be forced from its perpendicularity by the weight of the gate, or by the addition of some extraneous weight; and the gate itself is liable to sag and when of considerable widthsweeps the arc of a large circle in opening and closing and is very cumbersome and liable to get out of order. The recently patented gate of Smith which is constructed on the principle of the parallel ruler is also objectionable on account of having to be lifted, (nearly its whole weight) in turning it up vertically to open the same. The sliding or rail-way gate is likewise defective in requiring to be wholly moved when only ay small way is required to be opened. My gate is free from these defects and is cheap of construction, highly ornamental, easily managed, not liable to get out of order and may be partly opened without the necessity of moving the whole structure.

The nature of my invention consists in the novel application of the well known principle of construction called the lazy tongs, in combination with a rail way, wheels, recessed receiving posts, and vertical parallel guide posts by which I produce a curious and beautiful expanding and contracting gate of small pieces of timber, or bars of iron, either single or double, which may be moved partially, or wholly, over a horizontal rail way to any degree required bythe application of very little power, being admirably adapted for rail-ways where it may be placed at right angles to the rails and open from the center of a double track, on one o-r both sides at a time, for the passing of one or two trains and at the same time may open or close the way outside the tracks, being also well adapted forv crossing the tow-paths of canals when they would require to be moved back frequently and wit-h celerity being likewise well suited for turnpikes, parks, gardens, and, indeed, for

every place where an ornamental and convenient gate to be easily opened, or closed, is required.

The following is a description of my improved gate:

Figure l, is an elevation of the gate when closed. Fig. 2, is an elevation of the gate when opened. Fig. B, is a horizontal section of the gate on the line m m of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an elevation of one of the recessed posts.

The same letters of reference in the figures refer to corresponding parts.

The gate consists of .a series of thin Hat straight bars a a a &c. laid parallel and inclining to a horizontal plane, and across these bars lay another similar set of parallel bars inclined in an opposite direction at the same angle a'nd'bolted together at three4 points each, with round necked bolts b, &c. having flat circular heads as shown by the drawings so as to permit them to revolve freely in the holes through which they pass when the gate is opened or closed on the principle of the lazy tongs. The ends c, c, of the two out-er bars, are bolted to a heavy fixed post A planted in the ground or framed into the sill B, of the gate; which post (A) has a groove or recess d, (l, in the side next the bars large enough to receive the two first bars of the gate. To a similar grooved or recessed post C, the-ends e, e, of the outer bars of the gate are bolted in like manner, but this post is movable with two pulleys or small rollers f, g, at the foot thereof, the first of which has flanges and runs on an iron bar or rail 7i, h, fixed horizontally on the sill B, a third roller z', is attached to the foot of the center bar of the gate which bears upon the sill to aid in supporting it and avoid friction when the gate is opened or closed. Two tight posts D, D, are framed into the sill in fro-nt of the post A, at such a distance from the. same, as that when the gate is folded close, the post C, is brought in contact with them. They form the inner jamb and aid in sustaining the gate in a vertical position. Two similar posts E, E, are framed in the opposite end of the sill forming-the outer jamb of the gate; to one of which a hook, K, is attached which takes into a staple (1,) in the movable post C, by means of which the gate is secured when closed, or it may be locked by any other contrivance.

The gate is opened or closed to any de- 

